City Director Gilbert Ramírez Honored as New Mexico Highlands University’s 2026 Distinguished Alumnus

Gilbert A. Ramírez, Director of the City of Albuquerque’s Department of Health, Housing & Homelessness (HHH), was recognized Friday, June 5, as a 2026 Distinguished Alumnus at New Mexico Highlands University’s Distinguished Honorees Banquet. The award, presented to NMHU graduates who have made significant contributions to their field and community, recognized Ramírez’s more than 26 years of leadership in behavioral health, social work, and community systems development, including his central role in launching some of Albuquerque’s most transformative public safety initiatives.

“Gilbert’s career reflects the very best of public service, bringing people together, solving complex challenges, and building systems that help residents thrive,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “For more than 25 years, he has led with compassion, innovation, and a deep commitment to New Mexico communities. This honor from New Mexico Highlands University recognizes a legacy that continues to make a difference in Albuquerque every day.”

Ramírez earned his Master of Social Work degree from NMHU in 2000 and went on to build a career as a clinician, educator, and policymaker with a focus on gang intervention, trauma-informed care, and behavioral health systems. Before becoming Director, he served as Deputy Director for Behavioral Health and Wellness Programs, where he played a central role in the creation of the Albuquerque Community Safety Department, the City’s innovative alternative response program deploying behavioral health professionals to nonviolent emergencies, and helped establish New Mexico’s first medical sobering center. He also contributed to violence prevention initiatives, recovery housing, and nationally recognized research on gang intervention and community safety strategies.

“New Mexico Highlands shaped who I am as a social worker and as a leader,” said Director Gilbert Ramírez. “The values I learned there are the same ones that drive the work we do with HHH every day: every person deserves dignity, systems can be built with compassion, and community is the foundation of everything. This recognition means a great deal to me, but it belongs to every person on our team and every Albuquerque resident who trusted us with their hardest moments.”

The NMHU honor follows Ramírez’s national recognition as a NASW Foundation Social Work Pioneer, one of the social work profession’s highest distinctions. Ramírez was inducted as a member of the 2025 Class of NASW Social Work Pioneers and was formally honored during the NASW National Conference in Washington, D.C., on June 10, 2026. The designation recognizes social workers whose leadership, innovation, and lifelong contributions have significantly advanced the profession and improved the well-being of communities across the nation.

In addition to his public service leadership, Ramírez served for sixteen years as an Adjunct Professor and Field Consultant with NMHU’s School of Social Work, mentoring future social workers while continuing to lead innovative behavioral health, homelessness, and public safety initiatives throughout New Mexico.

Ramírez leads the Department of Health, Housing & Homelessness, the City’s largest human services department. HHH oversees five core areas: behavioral health, public health, affordable housing, homelessness services, and emergency and social services through the Gateway System of Care, which includes Gateway West, Gateway Family, Gateway Recovery, the Gateway Medical Sobering Center, and the Young Adult Housing Navigation Campus. The department serves thousands of Albuquerque residents each year, focusing on coordinated, person-centered approaches to care, crisis response, and housing stability.